There's less than one week to come up with $60,000 for a Tet parade, but Vietnamese American leaders said they are halfway there.

The community has until 5 p.m. Thursday to raise the money for a Feb. 10 parade that will celebrate the Lunar New Year in Westminster's Little Saigon.

"We are confident we will have the amount required by the city," said Ha Son Tran, vice president of the Vietnamese American Federation of Southern California.

Neil Nguyen, president of the federation, said at a news conference Wednesday night that a controversy this week surrounding fundraising for Hurricane Sandy victims would not impact the fundraising for the parade. After the news conference, some 30 Vietnamese American community leaders gathered to talk about the parade.

The city of Westminster this year is not paying for the event because of its financial problems. The City Council issued a special events permit Jan. 9 but gave the community until Jan. 24 to come up with $60,000 to pay for police, traffic management and city staff's services.

Even with the short time, "they're determined to make it happen," said Nina Tran, a parade organizer and a representative of the Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California.

In addition to some $32,000 in the kitty, the group has received a donation of a new car from Elmore Toyota in Westminster. Organizers plan to sell 1,200 raffle tickets at $50 a piece to raise money. They also said they will need additional funds to put on the parade but are focusing on meeting the city's deadline first.

A related event, the three-day Tet Festival in Garden Grove, is on track to kick off Feb. 8. The event is put on by the student group, which faced its own initial setback when festival materials were stolen Christmas Eve. Some sponsors have stepped forward to help with expenses but they could use additional donations, Nina Tran said.

Concerns about whether the Tet Parade will go on Feb. 10 as scheduled have stirred some confusion in the community about whether the Tet Festival will happen, she said.

"We want everyone to know the festival is going on," Tran said.

Meanwhile, a Buddhist leader in Santa Ana said Thursday that he was glad to learn that donations raised for Hurricane Sandy victims are safe but is disappointed the money will not be forwarded to New York right away.

The Venerable Thich Quang Thanh of the Chua Bao Quang Temple this week questioned why two checks totaling $27,000 were cashed in Westminster when they were addressed to a New York fund for hurricane relief. Both the bank involved and the group that spearheaded the local charity said Wednesday that mistakes were made in depositing the checks, but both said the money was safe.

Leaders of the charity effort, who also are involved with the Tet Parade drive, said the money would be personally delivered in February. During the news conference Wednesday, they said they will deliver the money – at their own expense – on Feb. 22.

On Thursday, Quang Thanh said he saw no need for the delay. "That money must go immediately to New York. It's unreasonable to keep that money until February," he said.

Related Links

Thich Quang Thanh of the Chua Bao Quang Temple in Santa Ana. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Thich Quang Thanh at Chua Bao Quang temple in Santa Ana, which he designed and opened in 2002. Quang Thanh raised questions this week about the whereabouts of $27,000 collected by members of two Buddhist temples for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. The money was accidentally deposited into a local account. On Thursday, he said he wants the money quickly forwarded for its intended fund. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Bishop Van Tran talks during a news conference Wednesday night in Westminster about how two checks addressed to a New York fund for Hurricane Sandy relief totaling $27,000 were deposited by mistake. Nearly 70 people attended. Tran said the money raised will still be donated to the relief fund. STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER
Bishop Van Tran of the Vietnamese Interfaith Council in America during a news conference Wednesday night. STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER
Saying at a news conference in Westminster on Wednesday night that two checks addressed to a New York fund for Hurricane Sandy relief totaling $27,000 were deposited by mistake and that the money raised will still be donated to the Hurricane Sandy relief fund, Bishop Van Tran holds up a fist full of envelopes saying he didn't throw them away because they represented the spirit of the people who gave. To the left is Kham Van Pham and Thich Minh Nguyen is at the right. STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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